US political nonsense

[Dracomax]

"On Wednesday of this week, Russell Means led a delegation of the Lakota Sioux people to the U.S. State Department and the embassies of Bolivia, Chile, South Africa and Venezuela, declaring their secession from the United States of America."

More info <a href="http://www.republicoflakota.com/">here</a>

[Linkara]

...Has the State Department responded to this?

[Laemkral]

Nothing that I could find. I also didn't look very hard.

This will most likely be resolved quickly and by the UN going "No, you're not a country". No recognition, no independence. Hell, as of right now the Palestinians (for the record, there is no country called Palestine, just the territories of West Bank and Gaza Strip currently held by Israel) have more recognized status than these guys. Which doesn't say much.

And if someone like Venezuela does recognize them, and they do try to make it official...you can bet the Bush administration will send in National Guardsmen to say "No, you are not a country."

[Prettydragoon]

But the important question is, do they have a flag?

[Phact0rri]

there are sovereign tribes in Americas already. Its just another one.

[Dracomax]

the big thing is that they are inviting non-indians in, so long as they renounce US citizenship.

and the UN just passed some legislation about indiginous peoples that helps to back their claims.

[Yeahduff]

Talk about your misleading thread titles.

[Jim North]

But the important question is, do they have a flag?

No flag, no country, can't have one!

[Paul Escobar]

But the important question is, do they have a flag?

The really important question is, do they have a beer?

You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline. It helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer.

[Birdie]

I can't believe the Lakota took my idea! I've been carefully planning my annexation from the U.S. Now they better not ask for federal aid and use that money to pay for mercenariese to blow up wal-mart then I'll know the NSA really does tap my phoneline.

[Killbert-Robby]

But the important question is, do they have a flag?

Every country needs a flag, an airline, and a beer.
Ok, maybe not an airline, but definetely a beer.

[[geoduck]]

But the important question is, do they have a flag?

Perhaps I'm being a killjoy, but yes, they do.

[KWill]

Perhaps I'm being a killjoy, but yes, they do.

Unless I'm very much mistaken, that one's only for the Oglala Sioux, and not the Lakota as a whole.

Every country needs a flag, an airline, and a beer.
Ok, maybe not an airline, but definetely a beer.

What's Iran's or Afghanistan's national beer?

Nothing that I could find. I also didn't look very hard.

This will most likely be resolved quickly and by the UN going "No, you're not a country". No recognition, no independence. Hell, as of right now the Palestinians (for the record, there is no country called Palestine, just the territories of West Bank and Gaza Strip currently held by Israel) have more recognized status than these guys. Which doesn't say much.

Recognition and independence are unrelated. The Taliban and the Chinese Communist Party were the de facto rulers of their respective countries, regardless of international recognition. But more fitting and contemporary examples would be Transnistria in Moldova, Abkhazia in Georgia, and Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan.

And if someone like Venezuela does recognize them, and they do try to make it official...you can bet the Bush administration will send in National Guardsmen to say "No, you are not a country."

They are a recognized nation, and that does come with some support. However, becoming a country, with sovereign borders and territory, you'll need to enforce your claims if they aren't met by the sovereign nation around you. But there are also more subtle means of pressure that the US can use, such as an embargo or "quarantine".

The state department has, to my knowledge, not responded.
Here's an additional source on the story. So far, I have yet to read of any official Lakota representatives doing anything, though. The articles I've read speak of 'members' of the Lakota nation, not tribal leaders, and the only name that's been mentioned is Russel Means, an activist.

[CJBurgandy]

I don't think this will get a whole lot of news coverage until they actually have more info on if they're actually going to be able to do it or not. If they get the go ahead, there will be a big stink from the "american" people being evicted from their homes that happen to be in the borders. Until something actually happens, other than the one person going around to different medias and countries with his clam to dissolve a treaty, I doubt the main stream news will even pick up the story.

[Robbie]

the big thing is that they are inviting non-indians in, so long as they renounce US citizenship.

and the UN just passed some legislation about indiginous peoples that helps to back their claims.

Good thing that no one listens to the UN.

[Joel Fagin]

US political nonsense

You know, any one of those words could be considered redundant.

- Joel Fagin

[KWill]

I doubt the main stream news will even pick up the story.

Depends on your definition of "mainstream." FOX news featured it, but I don't consider them a reliable source, so I ommitted posting that. Seeing the exact same wording in a different article allegedly put out by Agence France Press made me a bit suspicious as well.

[Rkolter]

So... a bunch of people have decided to form a new nation that is wholly bound within the borders of the nation they are deliberately distancing themselves from.

Gotcha.

[Tim]

So... a bunch of people have decided to form a new nation that is wholly bound within the borders of the nation they are deliberately distancing themselves from.

Gotcha.

Hey, it worked for Petoria.


Oh, wait....never mind.

[Col]

Talk about your misleading thread titles.